I Can't Believe I Never Noticed
by Yvonne Park
Summary: Sirius noticed Lily's gaze and elbowed James in the ribs, looking pointedly at her. James looked up and winked at her before she blushed and looked back at Alice. - a oneshot of the moment Lily finally realized she liked James.


I Can't Believe I Never Noticed

"Come on Lily, just one date. Then I'll leave you alone. Promise," James pleaded for the millionth time.

"Oh, I doubt that," Lily scoffed. "It's been physically impossible for you to leave me alone for six years."

They were standing in the crowded Entrance Hall. James had caught Lily on her way to breakfast having missed her in the common room. She made it a point to leave before he got up to avoid something like this.

Avoiding him had been her goal for so long that she automatically ignored the feelings she was having now. Like the swooping sensation in her stomach every time he entered a room. The way her breath caught every time he looked at her. How her heart fluttered when she saw his gorgeous smile and his ink black hair, the way it stuck up in every direction.

She had been staring at him while she was speaking, and almost didn't register his next words.

"Please Lily? .....Please?" he pleaded, his hazel eyes finding her bright green ones.

There were flecks of gold in those hazel eyes. She had never noticed before. As she gazed into his eyes her resolve wavered.

"Just one date?" she clarified.

"Just one," he responded, a small smile lighting up his face.

"Fine. One date."

A look of pure joy spread across his face.

"Oh my gosh!" he all but shouted at her. "Thank you Lily! How about tomorrow!? To Hogsmead!?" he asked excitedly.

"Sure," she said, smiling as James looked like he was trying very hard to stop himself from jumping up and down.

She looked around and noticed a few people stopped on their way into the great hall, staring at them.

"I'm going to breakfast now. See you later James," she said quickly as she rushed into the hall, leaving James standing where she left him, staring at a wall, still as a statue, with that stupid grin still on his face.

"What was all that about?" asked Alice as Lily sat down next to her at the Griffindor table.

"James just being himself," she sighed, rolling her eyes.

"He didn't ask you out again, did he?" Alice asked incredulously.

Lily nodded.

"I can't believe him!" Alice fumed, "Can't he just take a hint!? What did you say to him?"

Lily shrugged, reaching for the toast.

"NO! You didn't!" Alice almost screeched, as she looked around to see James walk drunkenly into the hall to join his now laughing friends, a stupid smile on his face. He sat down next to Sirius, who thumped him on the back still laughing.

Lily looked up at Alice's shriek, and followed her gaze to the laughing boys. She blushed and quickly looked back down to her plate.

"No Lily! Why did you say yes to him!?" Alice demanded with a fierce expression.

"If I didn't say yes sooner or later he would never leave me alone," Lily tried to explain, still looking down at her plate. "He said he'd give up after this one date. So I thought that would work…." She finished in a whisper, her voice dying away as she looked up and caught sight of Alice's expression.

"Oh. My. Gosh." Alice breathed, her hands flying to her mouth as her eyes went wide. "You like him," she stated.

"Now wait a minute—" Lily began, but Alice cut her off.

"You like him," she stated again, as if she were trying to convince herself. After a moment a sly smile spread across her face. "You like him!" she giggled.

"Wait! How could I like him!? Alice, he is the most self-centered, obnoxious, rude, pig-headed—"_gorgeous, sweet, charming_—Lily jumped, surprised at the direction her thoughts were taking her.

She looked over at the laughing boys again, paying particular attention to the one with the messy hair. She finally noticed how her stomach seemed to flip as she stared at him. How her heart fluttered as she looked at the strong muscles of his arm. How her breath caught when she heard his deep laugh.

Sirius noticed her gaze and elbowed James in the ribs, looking pointedly at her. James looked up and winked at her before she blushed and looked back at Alice.

_I like him! I like him! Oh my goodness! I think I might love him!_ Lily let out and audible gasp, like she had just come out of deep water.

"I like him, Alice! I can't believe I never noticed!" she said as she gazed back at the boy who had bothered her since that first day on the train. The boy who had asked her out almost every day since fourth year. The boy who had been the most obnoxious person in Lily's life. The boy she loved.

**A/N: This is my first attempt at writing a fanfic, so please review! :)**

**Thanks for reading! I'm debating on whether or not to do a sequel to this of the date. Guess the reviews will determine that! :D  
**


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